For those of
you who missed my original presentation or wanted a refresher on exotic animal
trade in the Pantanal, today I wanted to write about the different types of
animal trade and what consequences they have on not only the Pantanal but on
Brazil and the world at large. Animal trafficking is a huge problem in Brazil,
with 38 million specimens being taken from Brazilian wildlife every year.
Furthermore, it is the third largest illegal activity in the world behind
weapon and drug trafficking. Some of the major avenues of animal trade are as
follows:
1. Zoo/collectors: This kind of trade occurs in
both legal and illegal ways. Often the trafficking for zoos and special
collections is most damaging because it targets rare and unique species, which
are often endangered. The lear’s macaw is one of the most sought after species,
selling for about $60,000 in the international market.
2.
Biopiracy: This kind of trafficking is for
scientific purposes. Species like the Nigriventer spider, the Jararaca snake,
and different kinds of beetles are especially popular due to their venoms and
bodily fluids, which often have properties useful in the drugs and medicine.
3.
Pet Animals: Pet trade is extremely prevalent in
the Pantanal because of the high incentives and because there are so many
animals that could be taken from the wild to be domesticated. However, this is
especially dangerous since often they are not transported in sanitary
conditions and can spread disease. Also, some animals are much harder to
domesticate.
4.
Fauna Products: Items such as feathers, skins,
leathers, claws, and fangs are very popular. They are used as ornaments or
often as part of the fashion industry. In a sixth month period, officials
documented that 18,800 kilograms of skin was confiscated.
No comments:
Post a Comment